Magneto-optical medium and reproducing device for the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a magneto-optical medium and a reproducing device for the medium. In the magneto-optical medium, a mark in a magneto-optical recording area is so formed as to correspond to one of "1" and "0" of data to be recorded, and in a pre-formatted recording area, a pit in formed so that an edge of said pit corresponds to one of "1" and "0" of the data to be recorded. Therefore, when the magneto-optical recording area and the pre-formatted recording area have substantially the same linear recording density, only one pit exists in the spot area of a reproducing beam. As a result, an excellent characteristics can be obtained due to a superresolution effect.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A magneto-optical medium for use with a reproducing device, said magneto-optical medium comprising: a disk shaped substrate with a plurality of circular tracks; and   a magnetic film formed on said substrate, said magnetic film including a recording layer and a reproducing layer disposed between said recording layer and said substrate;   a magneto-optical recording area where a plurality of marks of substantially the same length measured circumferentially along said circular tracks are recorded by setting a direction of magnetization in discrete areas of said recording layer, and   a pre-formatted recording area where pits having multiple lengths measured circumferentially along said circular tracks are recorded by deforming discrete areas of said magnetic film, wherein the distance between mark centers and the distance between pit edges designate data, such that said magneto-optical recording area and said pre-formatted recording area have substantially equal linear recording densities, and   a minimum length for a pit is twice the length of one of said marks.   
     
     
       2. A magneto-optical medium for use with a reproducing device and having a plurality of tracks, said magneto-optical medium comprising: a magnetic film including a reproducing layer and a recording layer; and   said tracks include: a magneto-optical recording area where a plurality of marks of substantially the same length measured along said tracks are recorded by setting a direction of magnetization of said recording layer, and   a pre-formatted recording area where pits having multiple lengths measured along said tracks are recorded,   whereby said magneto-optical recording area and said pre-formatted recording area have substantially equal linear recording densities wherein said mark in said magneto-optical recording area is recorded such that the center of said mark is identified by correspondence to "1" or "0" of data to be recorded;   said pit in said pre-formatted recording area is recorded such that the edge of said pit is identified by correspondence to "1" or "0" of the data to be recorded; and   a minimum length for a pit is twice the length of one of said marks.